CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“I called to you earlier. Did you hear me?” I said.
“No, what were you trying to tell me?”
“That something was wrong. How about just a few minutes ago, did you hear me then?”
“No.”
“Don’t you think it’s strange we couldn’t talk to each other?”
“I suppose…what are you saying?”
I looked into his eyes.
“Can you hear me now?”
“Yes.”
“Does your mother know what your gift is?” I now said aloud.
“No, I’ve told no one but you.”
“Then she must have a way to block our gifts, maybe to keep anyone from finding her.”
“But that makes sense, don’t you think? She’s been banished, after all.”
“Banished from your home yes, but not from everywhere else. Mother said there would only be more sanctions against her if she got involved in any trouble again, so why would she need to hide herself like that?”
“She might worry with all this new trouble someone might mistakenly think she’s involved, and we don’t know she is involved, do we?”
“No, not for sure. It’s just, I had a bad feeling; a foreboding, as I approached here.”
“It’s probably just because you couldn’t talk to me. I want to know my mother. You of all people should understand that.”
“Of course I do. I just want you to be careful, that’s all. A lot has happened lately, and her just showing up, by happenstance, a few days after we lost two Watchers, makes me nervous.”
“I understand, but I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I promise I’ll keep my perspective. I will give you my word on this, if I get any proof she’s aligned with Luena, I’ll…I’ll…”
“You’ll what, kill your own mother? Of course not. What worries me is they, and I have to believe Luena, are part of this, knowing you’ve always wanted to know her, and they may use that to get you to their side. Even if your mother isn’t involved with them, they may still use her to get to you, by threatening to harm her. Luena’s already established that pattern; she did it to you before with your father. We’ve got to think about this very carefully and plan for every scenario. Please, Damien.”
“You’re right, I know you’re right, but we have plenty of time to figure this out.”
I pulled him close then.
“You know I want you to have a happy ending like mine, right?”
“I do, but there’s nothing more important to me than you. I will not let anything happen to your wellbeing because of my family; remember my earlier oath?”
As I hugged him now, I saw movement in the forest and could just make out the form of a woman just inside the tree line. I drew in a breath, knowing I wouldn’t forget her scent, and wondering what else I might learn about her from that scent. I detected some kind of herb and lilac. Maybe she just wanted one last look at her son. My vision had told me the feelings I had about her today were right, but for Damien’s sake, I hoped I was wrong.
“I wanted to surprise you with breakfast.” he said now, taking my hand.
“I was surprised, all right,” I said. “So your mother just walked out of the woods?”
“I was as shocked as you are. I hadn’t seen her for years, but of course she looked the same. She said to me essentially what she just told you.”
“But why now?”
“I don’t know. All this time, and especially since the return of your mother, I’ve dreamed of this moment, and now I don’t know what to make of her visit. What if she had been under her sister’s influence then, as much as I was under Luena’s until recently? I’d like to believe her, because it correlates with what my situation would have been if you hadn’t believed in me.”
“You proved yourself before I believed in you.”
“I want to give her the chance to do the same. You understand, don’t you?”
“Of course; but trust your instincts, and don’t shut me out. We’re in this together, remember?”
“I know you’re right, and I do trust your instincts. It’s just that…”
“. . .she’s your mother, I know.”
“We’ll figure it out somehow. Now, how about breakfast?” he said, leading me up the hill.
This was my life now, never a dull moment.
We had a pleasant breakfast, but we both had much on our minds. I still felt a foreboding sense of doom when I thought of his mother. This wasn’t going to end well.
After helping him pack up the breakfast things, I jumped on Nulla.
“I’ll race you back,” I challenged as I galloped off. He let me win, I knew, but that didn’t stop me from rubbing it in as we walked back to the stables, and handed the horses over to the groom.
“Thank you for breakfast.”
“Thank you for being so supportive. What are you up to now?”
“I’m going to work out with El, and probably the others will come over once they drag themselves out of bed. How about you?”
“I plan to bring Eric over later; he’s to start his training today with Gunter, so I’ll see you there.”
I put my arms around him.
“Whatever happens, I’m here for you. We’ll figure this out together - not just me, but all of us, remember that.”
“I will. You have changed my life, and I’d never forget it. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for any one of you. Now, I’d better go see if Eric is ready for his first day out.”
I felt a jab of anxiousness. “You’re sure he’s ready? I’ll bet he can’t wait; he’s been alone and a prisoner so long. Now he has a fresh start with a new family to support him.”
“Kate, especially, has been giving him some extra attention, hasn’t she?” Damien chuckled.
“She has, but I’m thinking she’ll have some competition for his attention now he’s venturing out.”
“See you over there, then.”
“Very good.”
“What a strange morning,” I thought, shaking my head. El was already at the training grounds going through drills with Thomas. I couldn’t believe how good she was, and for that matter, all the girls were. Four girls who, just weeks earlier, had been social princesses, were now vampire warriors.
“Great job, El,” I told her as they finished.
“She’s brutal, just brutal; no mercy whatsoever,” said Thomas, smiling with obvious pride.
“What kind of training do you want to do, Kat?” he now asked me.
I thought and asked him, “Could you set up the new sensory drill?”
I explained to El, “Gunter’s been working on the new drill for weeks. We will begin by walking onto the course blindfolded, and I’ll warn you, he’s prepared some surprises for us that have not been included in other drills you’ve observed. We’ll have to use all our other senses to fight. It’s the most advanced of all our drills, but once mastered, it fills you with the confidence needed to do anything else.”
“Do you want to do it together or separately?” said Thomas.
“Together, please,” I looked to El for her agreement.
“You really think I’m ready for this?” I could see El questioning herself.
“I know you are. Let’s take a few seconds to get focused,” I assured her.
We held hands, closed our eyes, and slowed our breathing.
“Ready?” said Thomas.
“Ready,” El said, now more confident.
We walked to the course, which was about fifty yards long, lined with lots of different things, such as sheep pens, wagons, horses, guard dogs, and whatever else Gunter’s devious mind might have come up with.
When we got to the start of the course, Thomas handed us our wooden practice swords, tied on our blindfolds, and we walked side by side onto the course.
“Tune in with your hearing first, and then smell. We need to talk to each other the whole way, and above all trust yourself; your first instinct will be right,”
I instructed.
We each took up a defensive posture, proceeding slowly, heads rotating from side to side as we scanned.
“Men on the right!” yelled El and the drill started.
We fought off two men easily.
“Stop!” I yelled as rocks flew in front of us. As we continued, men came from above us and behind us, and we had to duck under swinging planks and jump over covered pits, until finally we felt we were at the end.
“Six men,” I said. “We’re surrounded.”
“Back to back!” shouted El just as they attacked. We turned in our circle formation, fighting two, three, four, and all six at once.
“That’s it, thank you gentleman. Girls, you can take your blindfolds off now.”
“Okay Gunter, if you’re tired,” I said with a smirk, as I pulled the blindfold off my head.
He laughed. “I’m man enough to admit it. Good job, you two.”
“That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” Eric said as we joined them.
“You should see what they can do at full speed,” boasted Damien.
“Nice to see you out and about, Eric,” I smiled at him.
“It’s nice to be out and about, thank you,” he shot back
“Gunter, this is your new student, Eric,” Damien reached to take Gunter’s hand.
“Well, let’s get right to it, then, if you’re ready?” said Gunter turning to Eric.
“Looking forward to it.” We could see Eric was excited at the prospect.
“Good, we’ll get your weapons and armor fitted and then we’ll do an assessment of your skills.”
As Gunter led him off, Damien commented, “I guess Gunter doesn’t waste any time?”
“No, I’ve never known him to.”
“Thomas, would you and El like to have lunch with us?” asked Damien.
“That would be great. Give us an hour or so,” Thomas replied, happy to be included.
“Perfect. I need to go talk to Mother for a few minutes.”
I turned to Damien, “I’ll meet you in a little while. Let’s eat in the gardens.”
Damien smiled, “My favorite place.”
“Mine too,” I said smiling back.
“Look,” said Damien as he motioned with his head for me to look at the training behind me.
There were Kate, Rosa, and Letta watching Eric as he worked with Gunter. He had taken his shirt off and they were practically drooling over him. I had to admit he was pretty gorgeous.
“Don’t you girls have some training of your own to do?” I called to them.
They turned and scowled at me, and Damien and I laughed. As they turned and walked away, Kate actually looked back and stuck her tongue out at me.
“Oh that’s mature,” I yelled back to her, and to Damien I said, “I’d better go if I’m going to get back in an hour.”
I gave Damien a quick kiss and left the compound, my objective to see Mother. I was interested not only about her visitor, but also getting her opinion on the incident this morning concerning Damien’s mother’s sudden appearance.
“Hello, Mother,” I called as I entered.
“I’ll be right out, sweetheart,” she called from her room.
I went to the sofa. Just as I sat down, I heard in my mind, “You’re as beautiful as your mother.”
I looked around but no one was there.
“Who are you?” I asked with my mind.
“I am Allwain. I have come to instruct you in the ways of magic.”
“Katrina, I want you to meet someone.”
I stood and turned toward Mother’s voice. With her was the man I had seen greeting her in the courtyard.
“I’ve already introduced myself, Elizabeth,” he said, a twinkle in his eye.
“Nice to meet you in person though,” I said as they approached.
He was amazing; not only was he a commanding presence, but there was such an aura around him, it made his pale skin glow, turning it almost translucent. His hair was snow white, his eyes, now smiling at my obvious appraisal of him, were a blue-grey; and although I’d been told how old he was, I would have thought he was middle aged - and maybe he was, for his race.
Without preamble Allwain began. “I sense great danger, an evil that is about to be unleashed. Katrina, our world has dealt with evil of this magnitude by bringing forth a champion, a force to fight for the ultimate existence of good. However, research of historical documents shows all the races have their tales of this force.” He paused. “You, your sister, and your friends have been brought together for a reason. I know you have felt this too. It is my belief you are to become Protectors of the Races, and I’m here to give you every instruction I can to help you accomplish this, but we must keep the news of my arrival from the outside world.” He began to pace. “I must have time to observe and evaluate each of you and anyone you associate with while I’m here. This is why I have come to you now. In the week of the full moon you will all turn eighteen, and if all goes well, we will do our Protection Ceremony on the last night of the full moon. This ceremony will increase your powers, your bonds with each other and seal your destiny as the Chosen of Prophesy. Until then, secrecy is paramount. Katrina, do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand.” What he’d just relayed to me was incredible; I would need some time to explore my feelings and to accept this prediction was indeed true. However, I could accept, for the time being, the need for secrecy. Now it came to the reason I had come to Mother’s in the first place.
“Something strange happened this morning,” I began.
Mother and Allwain looked at each other, as if they knew what I was about to say.
“Damien and I were to go for a ride this morning. He wasn’t at the stables, but called to me to meet him in the meadow. When I arrived he was having a conversation with someone…his mother Daniela. Damien introduced us. Mother, there was an undercurrent of evil about her. She was there for just a short time, saying she’d needed to have contact with Damien after all these years and happened to be passing through.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head at this point in my tale.
“But if her being there, so soon after the attack by the fledglings, was not enough cause for concern, here’s something else strange.”
“Damien and I have developed the ability to communicate with each other using only our minds and have done so even at great distances,” I paused here, unsure now again, about sharing the existence of that ability, but took a breath and continued, “and the whole time he was with her, he couldn’t hear me with his mind. After she left us, our abilities returned to normal.”
“So that’s what we felt this morning,” said Mother as she looked to Allwain.
“What do you mean?”
Allwain explained, “We also felt the uneasiness in the air this morning. We tried to see what it could be, but, unusual for us, we saw nothing.”
“You were right, Katrina,” confirmed Mother. “They are blocking us somehow.”
“She swore she only came to see Damien and she asked him to believe she was innocent of the charges against her. Damien so wants to believe her; she is his mother, after all.”
“And what do you think, Katrina? What do your instincts tell you?” Allwain asked, his fierce eyes drilling into me.
“That she’s evil and she is trying to use Damien. I think she believes she can turn him,” I stated emphatically, sure now I was right.
“Do you think they can, Katrina?” Mother asked, concerned now.
“No, of course not!” I said with conviction. “However, Luena has a pattern of using people other people love, to get what she wants. In Damien’s case, she threatened to harm their father in order to force him to comply with her plans. Damien fought her and when Damien informed his father of Luena’s plot against him, his father took steps to protect himself. But Luena’s a menace, and I’m afraid they’ll try again with us. I don’t want to see anyone else get used or hurt. We need to know how to fight her, fight the
groups that support her, and find wards for their spells, charms, or magics.”
“You were absolutely right, Elizabeth, she’s ready,” he was smiling at Mother. “Now go about your regular routine. I’ll be observing, strategizing, and preparing.”
I hugged Mother.
“Thank you both. I feel so much better now.”
I did feel better as I left to meet the others for lunch. Our birthdays were next week, and people would be arriving soon. Then we were going to Paris, and what was to be a celebration trip now seemed to be so much more. When I got to the gardens everyone was already there.
“There she is,” called Kate. She was seated next to Eric, who had joined the group for lunch this afternoon. “How was Mother?”
“She’s fine, still making plans for next week. How was your workout?”
“Good. We didn’t do anything as advanced as what you and El did, but Gunter seemed pleased,” said Rosa.
I joined them on the rug rolled out for us on the ground.
“Eric, what about you? How did you like your first day with Gunter?”
“I enjoyed it. I don’t know if he did, but I did,” he said with a big grin.
“Gunter said you did well,” Kate beamed at him, radiating pride in his accomplishment. “Look what he’s done with all of us in such a short amount of time.”
“That’s true,” Letta chimed in. “In a few days he’ll have you believing too.”
“I’m glad just to be out of my room,” Eric laughed. “Not that the room is not lovely; in fact compared to my last room, it’s amazing, but I’m glad to be out of it just the same. And now I have the good fortune to have all of you as company.” He gestured to the whole group. “You don’t know how great that feels.”
“We’re glad you’re here too,” Kate said, speaking for the group.
“That’s true enough,” I thought. “She’s really glad.”
“What’s for lunch? I’m starving.” I asked reaching for the basket.
Damien grabbed it first, teasing me by holding it just out of my reach.
“Well, let’s see. Klaus gave me a little bit of everything,” said Damien, while he looked through the basket. “There’s smoked meats and sausage, chicken, cheeses, bread and pastries, plus two kinds of wine.”
“That’s it?” Rosa said, with mock indignation. “Well, maybe Sarah will get us a snack later.” The group irrupted in laughter.
We ate our fill, and we were amused by Thomas’s really bad Gunter imitation. As I looked at the group, except for Kate, of course, we were all so different; but now we were very much a family. Even Eric, whom we hardly knew, fit in as if he’d always been with us.
Now I could see what Allwain meant; we had all come together for a purpose. Maybe that purpose was to protect the races from whomever or whatever threatened them. I felt several strong emotions then - pride, love, and fear - for all of us.
For the next few days, we worked out every morning and studied every afternoon. Even Damien and Eric joined us in the library. Eric had much to learn about being a vampire and about us as a species. El had tried to help him regain his memory, but so far nothing had worked. He said not having his memory didn’t bother him as much as it had, because he was making new memories with a new family now.
Rosa’s family was the first to arrive for the birthday celebration and the Council meeting. El’s and Letta’s were next. The girls were tremendously excited to see them, and it was nice to have families at Mormont again.
Gunter designed a special exercise, putting the girls’ greatly improved fighting skills on display. After the session was complete, Michael, Edward and Ricardo expressed shock, clearly impressed by their daughter’s new prowess, and proud of their newly acquired sense of confidence, as well.
“Very impressive, Gunter,” Rosa’s father, Michael, shook the trainer’s hand enthusiastically.
“Yes,” added Ricardo, his pride in his daughter’s accomplishments written on his face. “You’ve managed to do so much with them, and in such a short amount of time. It was difficult for me to believe the warrior fighting the vampire guard to a stop was my Letta.
“We’re very proud of you girls,” said El’s father, Edward. “You’ve all worked very hard, and although I had misgivings about your going to Paris to celebrate your birthdays, I’ve changed my mind. Now I think anyone who tried to harm any of you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“Does that mean I have your permission to go, Father?” El asked expectantly.
“Yes, yes it does; you’ve earned it,” Edward said, his pride in his daughter evident.
“Ricardo and I agree and also offer you our blessings,” said Michael, but he waggled his finger, and added, “as long as Watchers accompany you.”
“Thank you, Father,” Rosa and Letta said in unison making us all smile.
Our celebration dinner was to be tomorrow night, just family and a few close friends including, of course, Damien, Eric, Thomas, Quinn, Avery, and Simon. In the back of my mind was the fact that the last night of the full moon week was Sunday.
After dinner, Damien suggested we take a walk in the gardens.
“We haven’t had much time alone, have we?” I said.
“Not enough for me, that’s for sure.”
“How many days can you stay with me in Paris?”
“Three days.”
“And three nights,” I said just before I gave him a kiss, one that said more than words could.
“I look forward to spending time alone with you, more than I could ever say, but for tonight I wanted to just be here in the gardens, our favorite spot, so I could give you this. Happy Birthday Katrina,” he said as he pulled a box out of his pocket.
I opened the box slowly, my hands shaking a little. Inside was a gold filigree heart, the most intricate, beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was just over an inch long and not flat but puffed like a real heart. As I inspected its perfection, I noticed something red sparkle from inside it, reflecting the moonlight. Damien lifted the heart out of the box and opened it like a locket. But instead of a picture that would have been contained in a normal locket, this one held a very large pigeon-blood ruby, cut in the shape of a heart.
“It’s my heart,” he softly. “And I’m giving it to you.”
Then he stepped behind me and placed it around my neck; the long gold chain made it hang between my breasts over my heart.
“I love it, Damien,” I turned and threw my arms around him.
“I had it made especially for you in Salzburg, by our family’s jeweler.”
“It’s just beautiful! Thank you,” I kissed him again.
I didn’t want him to go on the expedition, but I knew he had to. We had to be established in America as soon as possible. I knew Damien would play a large part in the clan’s execution of their plan.
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“I thought you couldn’t read my mind,” I challenged.
“I don’t have to have any special skills to know that you’re thinking about the time I’ll be away.”
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start crying; it seems as though we just found each other, and now you’re leaving.”
He laughed, “There was a time you wanted to be rid of me.”
“That seems like a lifetime ago.”
“Katrina, your father did a fantastic job preparing you for this, well enough. Your training came to the forefront and you excelled when you were challenged that first time. You have had to mature practically overnight and you were up to it, and you will survive being without me for a little while.” He smiled at me now.
“Oh, I know I can; I just don’t want to. Who’s going to keep you out of trouble?”
“I’m going to be too busy to get into any trouble.”
“Damien, when Kate and I were going over the new maps of America, we got a really bad feeling when we put our hands over the New Orleans area. Kate exper
ienced a boost of energy that actually shocked her. We both sensed evil there - something we didn’t get from any other city.”
“New Orleans…I believe Philepe has been there. I could ask him about it. Anything else?”
“Not really. But as I studied the map and viewed the vast wilderness that exists in the West, I felt it call to me. I believe our future rests in that area of this new world. Will you be going anywhere in the West?”
“We’re going to cover the entire country from east to west, north to south. What I’m really going to look for is a place where we can share our lives together. All of us have family histories, our ancestors’ legacies - well, except Eric - but now we’ll have a chance to write our own legacy, to do something on our own.”
He made it seem even more exciting than I had already imagined for myself.
“You’ll find it, I know you will, and I can’t wait to start our lives together in that New World.”